Apparatus for unwrapping inner tubes



Aug. 3, 1926. v 1,594,357 T- J. SMITH APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING INNER TUBES Original Filed April 25, 1 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INJENTUR THoM/(s 1 Sms-m ATTO EV Aug. 3 I926. T. J. sMrrH APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING INNER TUBES 3 Shets-Sheet 2 ori inal Filed Ap i 2 ,1919

INVENTOR V H m u% G U A I MA u m T. J. SMITH APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING INNER TUBES Aug. 3 1926.

I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed April 1919,

I INVENTOR THOMAS J. SMn-H Q olwv Patented Au. 3, 1926.

UNETED STATES rates? tim orrics.

THOMAS .1. SMITH, or A-Knon, OHIO, risers-non T0 .rrrn rrnnsronn TIRE AND nnnnnn COMPANY, or Armon, orrrc, a conronariortor orrro.

ArrAnA'rUs non Unwnarrinc} Inner. 'rnnns.

Original application filed April 25, 1919, Serial No. 292,640. Divided. and this application filed September at, 1925. Serial No. 58,467.

as the description proceeds and it will be noted that the invention is not restricted to the details shown, but may be modified in a variety of ways.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a plan view;

Figure 3 is a front elevation;

Figures 4 and 5 are detail. views showing the construction of one of the overhead or transfer rails.

It will be understood. that inner tubes for.

pneumatic tires are built up on mandrels and then wrapped ti grhtlv with one or more spiral wrappinszs of cloth before bein placed in the vulcanizer. After being cured, the cloths are unwrapped and the tube is stripped from the mandrel by being peeled off in stocking: fashion. air under pressure being used in this operation as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings. there is shown one form of my invent-ion in which 1 represents a series of standards on uprights which. support the various of the apparatus. Lonnitudinallv of the framework. is secured a pair of rails 2, on which are arranged to be received the supporting wheels 3 of the cradle or carriage tin which the tubes are stacked and placed in the vulcanizer. On the lower portion. of the carriage is arranged a stationary toothed rack 5 in which the'rnandrels 6 of the lower row are supported, and between each row of tubes are placed undulatingseparating: bars 7 which hold and separate the" tubes in the manner shown in Figure 1.

From the standards 1 extend a set of diagonal bars 8, arranged in pairs at the ends of the machine. each pair being joined by brace rods 9. On the rods is supported at each side of the apparatus a bracket 10, the upperside of'which is arranged with two box-lilre flanges 11 open at the top and partially enclosing a pair of rollers 12 rotatably mounted on pins 13 and designed to' support the mandrels as they are unwrapped. The wrapper from the two mandrels is shown at 1 1 and is wrapped around a receiving stick or pole 15. The ends of this pole are formed with hearing pins and are received in the open ends of levers 16 pivoted at 17 on a bracket 18 which is secured to the framework. In the upper side of the bracket 18 is rotatably mounted a drive roll 19 extending; across the length of the machine and which is driven at a hig'l'i rateof speed by a pulley"19 and belt 20 from a motor or other source-of power 21. A spring 22 is attached to the lower end of the lever .16 and to any convenient point and holds the pole 15 against the drive roll, so that when the end ofthe wrap is passed between the pole and. the drive roll, it will wrap on the pole. the mandrel rotating on the rollers 12. Iwo mandrel holders are provided so that two tubes can be unwrapped. at the same time and this number.

mi Q'ht increased if found practicable.

On the side opposite the diagonal bars 8 are arranged a pair of bars 23 which extend at an angle to a point opposite the bracket 10 and then project upwardly for a distance approximately equal to the heiaht of the pile of tubes, usually carried on the cradle 1. To the upper end of the bars 23 is secured a frame-work indicated bv the numeral 24: which supports a trackway composed of a series of rails 25, which incline toward the stripping; side of the apparatus being provided with stop 26 which will hold a suppl of unwrapped tubes ready to be stripped.

The rails are shown in detail in Finnres 4: and 5 and are preferably formed of bars 27 hooked over the frame-work at one end and bolted in place at the other. These bars are covered with a rubber tubing 28 which protects the surface of the inner tube. It will be seen that the space limited by the bars 23 and framework 25 is largeenough to hold a supply of tubes on the cradle and the workmen may remove the mandrels from the pile over the brackets 10.

The stripping apparatus is located on the side of the apparatus opposite theunwrapping device and is supported by the bars 23 on brackets 29. The stripping implements comprise a. table or shelf supported on the brackets and provided at one end with a supporting roller31' and an abutment 82 against which the mandrel may be placed. A pipe for air under pressure is located at any suitable point, being shown at 33 in Figure The operation of the device willbe readily understood. The tubes, as they are received from the heaters in the cradle 4:, are rolled into place in the center of the apparatus as shown in'Figure 1, The unwrappersremove the mandrels and place each one on one side of the supporting rollers 12. The end of the wrapper is then pulled off ashort distance and inserted between the drive roller 19 and the pole 15.' The roller 19 is driven o continuously and at a high rate of speed so thatthe-wrapper is quickly unwound from the tube. lVhile one mandrel is being unwrapped, a second-mandrel may be removed from the cradle, placed on the unoccupied setot' rollers 12 and unwrapped at the same time.

After the wrapping is all removed, the mandrels are placed on the tracks 25 along which they roll until they strike the stop- 26. The stripper operating on the opposite side of the machine removes the mandrels and places them on the shelf 30 where they are-stripped.

It is apparent that changes and modifications may be made in the exact form shown in the drawings, and this patent is not limited to details: as shown, but; may be al'- tered Within the scope thereof without departing from the-spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its benefits.

vV hat is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for unwrapping tubes, a lramework, means on said framework for supporting wrapped tubes on mandrels, a set of revoluble rollers to support a mandrel, and'a roller extending across the apparatus adjacent the support adapted to draw the wrapping from the tubes.

2. In an apparatus for unwrapping tubes, a framework, means on said framework for supporting wrapped tubes on maudrels', a plurality of sets of revoluble rollers to support a plurality of mandrels, and a roller extending across the apparatus adj'acent'the mandrel supports adapted to draw the wrappings from the tubes;

3. In an apparatus for unwrapping tubes,

a. framework, means on "said framework for supporting wrapped tubes on mandrels, a set of revoluble rollers to support a mandrel, a roller'extending across the apparatus adjacent the support, means for holding a pole to receive the wrapping from the tubes in contact with the said roller, and means for rotating said roller.

4; In an apparatusfor unwrapping tubes, a framework, means on said framework for supporting wrapped tubes on mandrels, a plurality of sets of revoluble rollers to support a plurality of mandrels, a single roller extending across the apparatus ad jacent the supports, means for holding a pole toreceive the wrapping from the tube in contact with said roller, and means for revolving saidroller.

THOMAS J.'Slb[lT1i 

